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Begin rant......From day one on the way back from Spartanburg I knew found BMW nav to be inferior to every other I have used. Even ten year old units. Latest example - a familiar route from Burlington Vermont to Portland Maine. I punched it in to see about what time i'd land and came up with a ridiculous eta. Zoomed out and saw it was routing me via one of the Boston beltways, I-495. Completely missed the shortest route across New Hampshire via limited access highways and tried to put me through a heavy traffic route. As soon as I turned onto the correct highway the eta dropped an hour. (Note I checked setting and was on fastest route).

So I bring it up to my SA pretty emphatically as this is not the first, second or tenth time. Once I dialed in hotel address and ended up in rural gravel pits. Call the hotel and the desk clerk says "oh, you must have a BMW"! Of course there is nothing SA can do to fix but then she says the process is for me to make a detailed report of each incident and send it to the map software company! Like they are going to fix all the issues by a suggestion box approach. End of rant.

Like some of you mentioned on prior threads I now use a cheap, old Garmin when going into uncharted territory. It works almost flawlessly.

As a road warrior a good nav is important enough to me that I will pay closer attention to the underlying software next time I go car shopping. This setup of an old garmin on the dash is a joke. BMW ought to do a goodwill software upgrade.

Once I dialed in hotel address and ended up in rural gravel pits. Call the hotel and the desk clerk says "oh, you must have a BMW"! Of course there is nothing SA can do to fix but then she says the process is for me to make a detailed report of each incident and send it to the map software company! Like they are going to fix all the issues by a suggestion box approach. End of rant.

Like some of you mentioned on prior threads I now use a cheap, old Garmin when going into uncharted territory. It works almost flawlessly.

Once I had the BMW Nav direct me to the HD Museum in Milwaukee. It took me to a dead-end parking lot on the wrong side of the river, across from the museum. I guess it thought the X5 could swim!

That's the "amazing" BMW navigation for you... Overpriced, with expensive and rare map updates (compared to Garmin's lifetime map updates which can be legally bought for a single payment of $40 and are released at least 4 times/year) and using an inferior TeleAtlas/TomTom's map database (as well as routing algorithms) Only good for 2 things: free traffic updates which are not based on ****ty SiriusXM's services and the ability to send addresses using Google Maps directly from your PC/Mac. For everything else it works worse than my 3-year-old Garmin unit

HOWEVER, I've been using the BMW nav in Germany for a few trips and it is really very, very good. I believe the issue is the underlying map data is inferior, or at least not adequate for flawless routing.

Having said that, for 3 years I've been told to dutifully 'report' these defects so they can fix them. What a joke.

The MAP data on the BMW's "can" suck but as with ALL navi's, it depends on the quality of hte info the database is built off of. What I find "unforgivable" is the CRAPY "logic" of whomever created the user interface. I had thought the one on my '06 750Li could not have gotten any worse... I was VERY wrong.

On most systems you can simply enter the NAME of the location you want to go to. Nah, nah on this one

The MAP data on the BMW's "can" suck but as with ALL navi's, it depends on the quality of hte info the database is built off of. What I find "unforgivable" is the CRAPY "logic" of whomever created the user interface. I had thought the one on my '06 750Li could not have gotten any worse... I was VERY wrong.

On most systems you can simply enter the NAME of the location you want to go to. Nah, nah on this one. Want to find the closest McDonald's? Jus tput in McDonald's, right? WRONG!

You have to first find restaurant & guess what... YEP, there are TWO different ways to search for restaurant and to make is WORSE, one allows you to enter a name...eventually while the other doesn't allow that option. ARGH!

It's like someone @ BMW gave a 1st year college student year a software program and told them "go for it"... Shesh! Acura's touch screen & voice control were SOOOO much BETTER! If I wanted to dial someone on that system, I simply said "dial John" and it would actually DIAL JOHN. In sharp contrast this systems REQUIRES you to FIRST be in the right window and then you have to say a specific archaic phrase that nobody would actually use in "normal conversation"...CHOOSE NAME... if you just "happen" to have the Navi screen up when you say this, you will undoubtedly get a response like "no site location..." Even once you DO get to the phone book and then say choose name, you HAVE to say it backwards as in "Doe, John" rather than the logical "John Doe" or simply saying John and the computer being smart enough to say something like "I have 26 John's in my directory, last name please.."

I tend to agree that the BMW installed nav software isn't up to par. Although the fit and finish leaves it with no comparison. I get frustrated using the portable garmin in the convertible, which was built long before personal GPS units became available. What frustrates me about BMW nav is the route preference settings. You have to remember to use this for each trip. It matters. In NYC for example, you are going to get in trouble if you don't keep it on highway settings. I also can't figure out how to get the 3D building graphics in my new 2012. The 2008 had this feature and it was really handy in the city. You actually could see where you were going. I now use my navigon app in my Iphone more. Now that is really a good alternative if you haven't tried it. The app was expensive. But it's accuracy is very good. But, the drawback is data usage. If you don't have an unlimited wireless data plan, you are in trouble. It does have backup maps downloaded to phone to help you out if you don't have good wireless reception the entire route. But there is a trade off. It's odd, though. For such an expensive car, BMW has left this option off the best of the best, list. Oh, I have a rank about SIRUS. If you even decide to drop them, or swap cars before your contract expires, good luck with getting them to drop you. BMW could sort this out with their relationship with them, but they ignore this too.

Fair point. I'd prefer to stay loyal to the bmw marque but poor nav is a relationship tester.

Wife's 3 is about ready for retirement. I WILL give Audi another chance then, based on this nav experience. Def rooting for BMW to be making the right moves.

Yep....Don't get me wrong, I definitely take note. The difference between 2008 and 2013 is amazing HOWEVER they have plenty of room to grow. It's just not as intuitive as it needs to be. I would rather send an address from my computer than key it in on the nav screen (and I have gone back in the house from my front seat just to do that). That speaks volumes, IMO.

HOWEVER, I've been using the BMW nav in Germany for a few trips and it is really very, very good. I believe the issue is the underlying map data is inferior, or at least not adequate for flawless routing.

Having said that, for 3 years I've been told to dutifully 'report' these defects so they can fix them. What a joke.

I've reported four problems over the last 4 years. All of them have been fixed. Maybe the process does work...

EDIT: Wait, wasn't there a change in Nav provider in the last 4 years? Maybe that's the reason the fixes got in.

People buy the brand for a number of reasons, but fixing some nits like this would make it a better experience. Moved from 535i to X5 recently and miss some of the extra storage options I had on the 535i. For example, they tucked an extra (small) storage tray in the dash just left of the steering wheel on the 5 series. It was my favorite spot for sunglasses or the ezpass. Really wish I had that in the X5. I'm not going to drop the brand for a few simple things like this, but it would sure be nice to have some of these features. A better Nav user experience is also up there for me.

People buy the brand for a number of reasons, but fixing some nits like this would make it a better experience. Moved from 535i to X5 recently and miss some of the extra storage options I had on the 535i. For example, they tucked an extra (small) storage tray in the dash just left of the steering wheel on the 5 series. It was my favorite spot for sunglasses or the ezpass. Really wish I had that in the X5. I'm not going to drop the brand for a few simple things like this, but it would sure be nice to have some of these features. A better Nav user experience is also up there for me.

I have heard of this 5 series pocket before. Is it something us X5 guys could put on the dash in the same place or somewhere close? I always have my sunglasses slide off onto the floor when merging in cloverleaf highways. Frustrating especially when the iPhone tray is taking up useless room in the center console, I've thought about cutting it out!

I always send the address to my Nav from BMW apps from my phone in the driver's seat rather than using iDrive. Living close to the border of two states I always have to change the state THEN search for the street etc. Way too cumbersome but I did not buy it for the Nav.

Be thankful you don't own an Audi. I had a 2012 Q5 Premium + and the map data was over 5 years old. I called Audi every month begging for an update and just got the runaround. The BMW nave on my '12 X5 hasn't failed me once yet.

So far the best navi I have had is in my Honda. I have never had any problem and it has always been the best. Hope BMW can tie up with their map company. I just got my x5 and was driving from New York to Virginia. I take 78 to us15 to get to northern part of Virginia it's a little longer route but I save a bunch on tolls average saving is $70 return and only 30 minutes longer which I cover as there is no traffic. This time BMW navi gave me an option taking me from 78. I was under the impression it will take me the same route I go but instead it took me on 78 and then thru local roads in PA put me on 95s Philly then back to the toll road on 95s Delaware. It's takes 2 hrs if you drive starlight to Delaware but this took me 3 1/2 hrs. I as so mad but my ride was comfortable that's what made me happy ) I still love my X5 and will always.

Be thankful you don't own an Audi. I had a 2012 Q5 Premium + and the map data was over 5 years old. I called Audi every month begging for an update and just got the runaround. The BMW nave on my '12 X5 hasn't failed me once yet.

This is complete crap. Even my MY07 Audi Q7 had up to date maps (when I bought it.) No way is anyone providing 5 yr old data.

They really should just give their current map db provider the boot. With the rise of the connected car experience, just use google maps, and some telemetry provider. Or just use garmin as the navigation provider. Problem solved. I don`t need my GPS to render 3d buildings when it takes me around the world with its directions, when the destination can be reached by going straight four blocks. Yes would i love to have 3d rendering. But the primary function of the GPS is still to navigate easily. Plus, improve the voice command feature, while your at it. Buddies 300 has wicked fast processing, and prompts. Does it look like product made by fisher price....yes. Does it work beautifully....yes.

Why does this matter?
CAUSE EVERY TIME someone says Lexus has better build quality, one should consider what Toyota their Lexus Engine and chassis platform comes out of and how long that part has been tested in the real world!

Why does this matter?
CAUSE EVERY TIME someone says Lexus has better build quality, one should consider what Toyota their Lexus Engine and chassis platform comes out of and how long that part has been tested in the real world!

Not sure if it's been mentioned because I didn't read the whole thread but you can switch the route preference between "fast route" "short route" and "efficient route" Try toggling between them and see if it gets the route you were expecting.